Tide-motor.



W. BRAUNSDORF.

TIDE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 191s.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mlm mn Patented Jam 6, 1914L W. BRAUNSDORF.

T1131: MOTOR.

` APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1913. wjg. Patented Jan. 6, 1914. E 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i me :im o) wf/vm@ MWL /A M Ewa/waalw- TTURNEVS W. BRA-UNSDOEFc TIDE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1913.

Patented Jan. 6, 19M.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WIM/8868 `the vertical reciprocations thereof with the controlling means ,including the power chain WILLIAM BRAUNSDORF, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

[EIDE-MOTOR.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 6,1914.

Application filed August 9, 1913. Serial No. 783,926.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, WILLIAM BRAUN snonr, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of the city of New York, (borough of Manhattan), in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Tide-Motor, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to tide motors and has particular reference topower devices of this character which are adapted to operate substantially automatically in accordance with the rise and fall of the tide.

Among the special objects of the invention is to provide a float and means to control tide and to cause said float to automatically grip an endless chain so as to cause the same to be operated from the oat while the latter is either rising-or falling, the movement of the chain always being in the same direction.

A further object of the invention is to utilize the force of the tide through said chain upon the operation of machinery at any desired speed, this latter means including devices for the storage or accumulation of power whereby certain machinery may be kept in operation during the lull or rest periods of the tide.

The invention contemplates still further objects, all of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings'forming a part of this specification in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is Va plan view of the float; Fig. 3 is the gripping mechanism between the float and the power chain; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of certain and the transmitting chain, the view being taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; F 5 is a plan view of the power transmission and storage devices as seen from the plane 5-5 of Fig. 1; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detailed views on Vcorresponding lines of Fig. 5 and Fig. 9 is a detailed view of the lever mechanism for controlling the operation of the power storage devices.

The several parts of the devicev may be made of any suitable materials and the relative iz s and proportions of the same may be vrid to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

At any convenient place along tide water or any other body of water subject to periodic rise and fall, I build a framework indicated at 10 and comprising vertical guides 11 and top and bottom stringers 12 and 13. The framework is secured rigidly in position by any suitable means and may support a platform or dock 14 above the surface of the water at hightide. The piling supporting the aforesaid framework may, if desired, be walled up, as shown at 15, so as to protect the machinery from the violent action of the waves. The dock or platform 14 is intended to support any suitable superstructure shown at 16 and adapted to house the transmitting and power storage devices, and said superstructure may, in some cases, include a mill, factory or other means for utilizing the power derived from the apparatus.

A float 17 of any suitable size, form or construction, is guided for vertical reciprocations between and along the guides 11, the float being provided preferably with anti-friction rollers 18 having direct coperation with metallic rails 19 secured to the inner corners of said guides. The float rises with the tide and gravitates downwardly when the tide runs out.

An endless power chain 2O of any suitable construction is guided over an idler 2l secured to the bottom 13 of the framework and operates preferably through the center of the iioat at 17 The upper portion of the power chain operates over and drives a sprocket wheel 22 having a hub 23 journaled normally loosely upon a horizontal shaft 24 and adapted to be clutched thereto by means of a clutch 25 splined to said shaft and controlled by a lever 26 extending downwardly through a platform 14 and pivoted at 27. At the pointwhere the power chain operates through the float, I provide a peculiar aris an idler 30 which serves to maintain the respective upward and downward runs of the chain in meshwith said sprocket wheels 28 and 29. These sprocket wheels are governed' by gravity pawls 28 and 29 respectively, whereby, when the oat is rising thel wheel 28 will be held from rotation and hence will cause the upward movement of the run of the chain gripped thereby. The other run of the chain, however, will be free to glide downwardly between the wheel and the idler. lWhen, however, the float 1s following the tide downwardly, the wheel 29 will be held stationary and cause the power chain to be operated under the force due to the weight of the float. At this time the wheel 28 will be free to rotate idly. It will thus be seen that the chain 20 will always be operated forcibly when the float is either rising or falling.

Within the superstructure 16 I provide a pair of shafts 31 and 32 arranged preferably parallel to each other and journaled upon some elevated support as indicated at 33. The shaft 31 has journaled upon it a sprocket wheel 34 adapted to be driven by a transmitting chain 35 from the aforesaid power shaft 24 below the platform and through the operation of a large sprocket wheel 36. The speed of the shaft 31 may bev much higher and preferably is much more rapidthan the shaft 24. The sprocket wheel 34 is adapted to be clutched to the shaft 31 by means of a clutch 37 and held in clutch-l ing position by means of a weighted leverl 38 having a bell crank connection therewithV shown at 39.

Adjacent one end of the shaft 31 is a wheel 40 secured rigidly thereto, and the shaft 32 has secured to it a similar wheel 41, the two wheels 40 and 41 being preferably in the same vertical plane. The power storage and delivery chain 42 operatesl over the wheels 40 and 41 and is suspended therei from in two loops or bights 42Il and 421. Ron

tation of the shaft 31 and wheel 40 serves to operate the delivery chain 42 in the direction indicated by the arrows on Fig. 1, and always in the same general direct-ion. The shaft 31 is prevented from reverse rotation b y means of a ratchet 43 and pawl 44. A heavy weight 45 is suspended by means of a yoke 46 and an idler pulley 47 in the bight 42a of the delivery chain. Said wheel tends to rotate the shaft 32 through the wheel 41 irrespective of the action of the shaft 31 and wheel 40. The rotation of the shaft- 32 is ordinarily controlled by a centrifugal speed governor shown at 46 and driven from the shaft 32 by means of a belt 47. When the maximum speed desired is reached, the rotation of the governor will cause the 0peration of a brake shoe 48 against the periphery of a' wheel 49 secured to said shaft. During the maximum speed of operation of the float in either direction, I contemplate `that the weight 45 will -be elevated, or, in

other words, the action of the wheel 40 upon the chain 42 will be more rapid than the aC- tion of the shaft 32 as permitted by the centrifugal governor. The chain 42 may be as long as desired or as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this device, and by reason of the greater speed of the wheel 40, when operated at the maximum, than the speed permitted by the governor, the weight 45 will be elevated whereby power will be stored for use during the periods of rest of the tide. It will be observed, however, that one half of the weight is borne constantly upon that portion of the delivery chain 42 extending between the wheel 47 and the wheel 41. For this reason the weight will always be operated to rotate the shaft 32 irrespective of the condition of rest or rotation f the shaft 31.

In addition to the foregoing normal conditions and functions of the device, I provide various means to take care of the unusual conditions which may be encountered in actual practice. For instance, the shaft 32 may be locked from rotation by means of a wheel 50 secured thereto and adapted to be engaged by a slidable dog 51 adapted to be moved into or out o-f mesh with the wheel by means of a hand lever 52. The dog may be locked in position by means of a keeper 53. If the shaft 32 is thus heldv from rotation for any unusual length of time and the oat continues in operation, the weight 45 will be velevated so that the yoke 46 at its upper end will strike against the lever 38 and automatically disconnect the clutch 37 from the driving wheel 34, throwing the power delivery mechanism out of gear. On the other hand, should the weight 45 be allowed to run down to its maximum extent, it will coperate with the bight 42". For this purpose I prefer to provide the lower portion of the weight with a seat 45 adapted to receive said chain bight. Both bights of the chain will then equalize each other and the device will remain at rest until the float begins to wind up the weight as above described.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The herein described tide motor comprising a stationary frame including vertical guides, a float adapted to rise and fall within said guides by the action of the water, a power device, means to operate the power device from the Heat whereby said device is operated forcibly in the same direction during either the 'rise or fall of the tide and remains stationary during the lulls of the tide, power delivery means including an endless chain having independent depending loops and a weight in one of the loops, and connections between said power device and said delivery means whereby the' delivery means has a substantially constant and uniform movement irrespective of the variations in rise or power effect of the water.

ed in one ot' said bights. means to drive one I of said lshafts and ils wheel from the power chain lo elevate said weight, and means to control the rotation of the other of said shafts and its wheel at a moderate uniform rate of speed under the influence of said weight.

3. ln a tide motor, the combination of an endless power chain, float means to operate said chain in the same direction during the rise and the fall of the fioat, power storage and delivery mechanism including an endless chain having two suspended bights, a weight carried by one of said bights and adapted in one position to engage and receive the other of said bights, means to'elevate said weight by the operation of said power chain, and means to control the delivery of power from another portion of said chain by virtue ot' said weight irrespective of the movement of the float and its power chain,

4. In a motor of the class set forth, the

combination of a pair of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels on said shafts, an endless 'chain operating over the said wheels and Suspended therefrom in two bights, a weight supported in one of said bights, means to rotate one of said wheels intermittently tending to Wind up the weight, said weight tending to rotate the other of said wheels, and means to automatically control the speed of rotation of the last mentioned wheel.

5. In a motor of the class described, the combination of a pair of parallel elevated shafts, a pair of wheels thereon, an endless storage delivery chain operating over said wheels and suspended' therefrom in two bights, means to intermittently operate one of said wheels to elevate the weight, said means including a clutch, means adapted to be engaged by the weight when elevated to the maximum position to automatically throw the clutch out of gear, said weight tending to rotate the opposite shaft constantly at a uniform speed, and automatic means to control the speed of rotation of the last mentioned shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM BRAUNSDORF.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. ROCHE, HENRY FELDMANN. 

